


Certified Gold

by Khylara



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: M/M, Peterick, Post-Hiatus (Fall Out Boy)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:20:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22855378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khylara/pseuds/Khylara
Summary: Patrick gets a surprise in the mail. he's not happy about it.
Relationships: Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Certified Gold

**Author's Note:**

> I'm assuming that record companies will mail out Gold albums if the artist can't pick it up for some reason. Also, I don't know if "Soul Punk" ever did certify Gold - I couldn't find a citation, so I'm assuming not. But this seems like something my InsecurePatrick! muse would brood over.

"What's in the box by the door?" Patrick asked as he came into the kitchen for his morning cup of tea. 

"Package for you," Pete said as he sipped his coffee. "Came about an hour ago while you were in the shower. I had to sign for it." He looked up from his phone. "Did you order something from Ebay again?"

"No. That's you." Patrick put the water on before pulling a cup off of the rack. "And you really should change your user name. "PeteWentzis#1" is a little obvious."

"And that's why it's perfect. No one would ever guess it's actually me." He paused. "Besides...I have all of that going to a PO box."

Patrick put two spoonfuls of honey into his cup. "And the only things I have coming here is business stuff."

"You don't remember ordering anything?" Pete persisted.

"No. Although it could be from Elisa." Patrick's ex wife was still mailing things she found after Patrick had moved out. Sighing, he turned the water off. "I'll check it. Hopefully it doesn't explode." He headed into the living room.

"That's not funny!" Pete called back after him before returning his attention to his phone.

Picking up the box, Patrick was surprised at how heavy it was. "What the hell?" he muttered as he slit it open and pulled out what was inside. He nearly dropped it when he saw what it was - an official Gold album certification for "Soul Punk". _Ten years. Almost ten years and it finally went Gold,_ Patrick thought, more than a little bitter. _About damn time._

"Is that what that big box was?" Pete asked from behind him, sounding delighted. "That's great, Lunchbox! Where do you want to hang it?"

Patrick carefully set it down; he didn't want to ruin the carpet by smashing it against the floor. "Nowhere. It belongs in the trash." Pushing past Pete, he headed upstairs.

Pete watched him go, thoroughly confused.

*****

Some time later, Pete went upstairs to find Patrick curled up in bed, with his bare feet tucked under the covers as he stared blankly at the wall. "Hey, you," he said softly."

"I don't want to talk about it, Pete." Patrick's voice was flat, final.

"Okay." Pete leaned against the door frame, his hand shoved in his pockets and a concerned look on his face. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." he paused. "I'd still like to know what's going on in that head of yours, though."

Patrick let out a heavy sigh. "You're not going to let this go until I tell you, are you?"

Probably not," Pete admitted. "Well?"

Sitting up, Patrick ran a hand through his red hair. "I just don't like admitting that I'm a failure, that's all," he admitted, not looking up.

"What are you talking about?" Pete asked as he sat down next to him. ""Soul Punk" certified gold. That's a good thing."

"After almost ten years?' Patrick made a face. "And after "Rock And Roll" and "Psycho" and :Mania" all went platinum in about a minute and a half?" He shook his head. "It's pathetic. I put everything I had and all of my life savings into it and look where it got me. Absolutely nowhere." His shoulders slumped. "I put my heart and soul into that damned thing."

"I could tell." Pete's voice was quiet. "I could hear it in every word. Every note."

Patrick stared at him, "You could?' he asked. "You listened to it?"

"Of course I did," Pete said as if it were obvious. "Bought the CD the day it came out. And downloaded it to my phone. I still listen to it on a pretty regular basis."

The singer couldn't help the stunned look that crossed his face. "You do?"

"Yeah." Pete tilted his head. "You look surprised."

"I am. It's really not what you usually listen to." Pete usually preferred a harder edge when it came to his personal music. 

"No, it's not. But I love it and not just because it's you singing it." Pete suddenly smiled. "Although you could probably read the phone book and I'd love it."

Patrick grimaced. "Be serious."

"I am. I thought it was brilliant." Pete took his hand and squeezed it. "When I first heard it...I was blown away. I just kept listening to it over and over. And when I found out that you had played all the instruments on it and wrote all the songs...it took my breath away."

"I never knew," Patrick breathed. "You never told me."

"I thought you did know. I told anyone who'd listen." Pete shrugged. "I always thought you were so much better than all of us musically." he squeezed Patrick's fingers. ""Soul Punk" just proved it to everyone else."

Patrick sighed. "I wish it felt like that."

Pete slid an arm around his shoulder. "And I wish I could say something to convince you." He paused. "Andy and Joe...they liked it too, you know."

"I didn't know that either." Patrick closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. "God, I'm an idiot."

"Not an idiot," Pete corrected gently. "Just...I don't know...still unsure about yourself after everything maybe? I know you had a hard time after it came out." he paused. "I still don't know how to fix that."

"I don't either. I don't think it can be. It's just one more thing I have to muddle through." Patrick gave Pete a kiss. "But I love you for trying. thank you."

"Better?" Pete asked.

"Some." Patrick laid his head on Pete's shoulder. "Maybe it doesn't belong in the trash after all."

"Of course it doesn't. It's something you should be proud of. None of the rest of us have a gold record from our solo stuff." Pete's voice was firm. "We'll find some place to hang it where we can show it off."

Patrick wrinkled his nose. "We don't need to go that far."

Pete thought for a moment. "Compromise, then? We hang it with all the rest of the gold and platinum albums. There's just enough room, I think." There was a spare room at the end of the hall where Pete kept all of fall Out Boy's awards on display. "It'll fit right in."

Patrick considered the idea. "I still think we should just shove it into a closet and forget it, but okay." he looked up. "Thank you for being patient with me and my temper tantrum."

"You deserve a little patience. And you've got nothing on Bronx when it comes to tantrums. He used to scream the house down." Pete kissed him again. "Were you ever going to do a follow up? I know you were thinking about it way back when and I know I'd like to hear it."

"I still might, but not anytime soon," Patrick said thoughtfully. "Everything that happened kind of left a bad taste in my mouth, you know? And "Soul Punk" was just as much about proving something to myself as much as to everyone else." he suddenly smiled. "If that's all I did with it, then I think I did okay. Anything else is a bonus."

"You did a hell of a lot more than that and so much better than okay." Pete held him close. "Believe that, okay? And I for one am looking forward to solo Patrick Stump making a repeat appearance."

"I'll try," Patrick let himself relax in Pete's embrace. "And I think Patrick Stump is happy just being the lead singer of Fall Out Boy for now. We'll see how he feels in the future about anything else." He paused. "And thank you for believing in me."

"Always," Pete said, kissing the top of his head. "Always."


End file.
